Goaltender Rick DiPietro isn’t the only All-Star who will be in the Islanders’ lineup tomorrow night in Ottawa. Speedy forward Jeff Tambellini, whose performance in Bridgeport earned him AHL All-Star honors, has been recalled to face the Senators.
Injuries to forward Miroslav Satan and defenseman Brendan Witt left the Islanders short-handed and forced them to make a move. Satan sat out the Isles’ 5-4 shootout victory Friday night in Calgary with a sprained right knee and still is listed as day-to-day. Witt suffered a sprained ankle in the first period against the Flames and also is listed as day-to-day.
Fortunately for the Islanders, they dressed seven defenseman in Calgary after losing Satan. So, they still could rotate three pairs when Witt went down. Coach Ted Nolan said he expects to use the same six defensemen – Andy Sutton, Freddy Meyer, Chris Campoli, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Bruno Gervais and Bryan Berard – against the Senators.
Without Satan in the lineup, Nolan moved Blake Comeau up to the second line with Josef Vasicek and Sean Bergenheim. But even though Tambellini went scoreless in eight previous games with the Islanders this season while averaging a mere 9:37 of ice time per game, he generally is considered a top-six forward.
With plenty of time and power-play opportunities in Bridgeport, Tambellini has scored 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points in 35 games. He’s the second-leading goal scorer in the AHL and ranks fifth in points.
Satan should be ready to return to the lineup before too long, but the severity of Witt’s injury remains a mystery at this point. Nolan said Witt would undergo an MRI examination today, but a club spokesman was unsure if that had taken place or if Witt would wait until Monday when the team is back on Long Island.
If tone of voice and body language mean anything, Nolan seemed worried about the possible loss of Witt Friday night. “Those things are scary, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed,” Nolan said of the ankle sprain. “Witt’s one of those tough individuals. Maybe it’s not as bad as we think.”
Injured defenseman Radek Martinek is skating but has not yet been cleared to practice after suffering a lower right leg bruise. Defender Aaron Johnson has begun practicing, but needs time to get in condition after sitting out since Nov. 3 to recover from a sprained knee.
The Isles’ game against the Senators marks the end of a five-game road trip for them. After four games, they have four points on the trip. Despite their awful record in Ottawa, they might be catching the Sens at the right time. The EasternConference leaders are matched against Western Conference-leading Detroit tonight at Scotiabank Place in what is being hyped as the “game of the year” in the NHL.
Comments (31)
Man if this kid is waiting to prove himself, nows the time... Playing the best team in the east without your 2 best D is tough... C'mon Tambs!!!! Do what we all know you're capable of
I'm just curious to see how much time he gets, who he's playing with, and if he'll get to see any PP time.
I mean Nolan will have to have some set on him if this kid doesn't see top 6 forward minutes. I would put him right up with Guerin and Comrie. Park is a nice little player, but not a top 6 forward.
Tambellini-Comrie-Guerin
Comeau-Vasicek-Bergie
Tank-Silly-Hunter
Park-Hillbert-Jackman
I only hope that not only Jeff gets ice time, but isn't afraid to shoot the puck. I hope he doesn't feel the need to defer to his linemates because odds are he will have more ability than them. I also hope that Nolan will give him some PP time. And obviously I hope this kids stays after Miro comes back ...send down Jackman and slide Park to the 4th line ...I mean it's time ...
Okposo just assisted on a Frans Neilsen goal ...
And I hope that Tamby reads AZS's post ... so he has the confidence to realize he's worthy of playing up in the big time ... he just needs to apply the same confidence and effort that he does in the AHL to the NHL and he'll be fine.
BTW ... I dig those line combos AZS
OKPOSO JUST SCORED!!! AND THEN JUST ASSISTED ON A ANOTHER GOAL!!!!!
1g 2a in this game
19 Isles ...you should listen to the Soundtigers game ....
http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=349786
click on multimedia ...
Yep, if there was ever a time for Jeff to prove himself, now is the time. It will be really bad for the Isles if Witt is out for any length of time. No one else does what he does, the WAY he does it. Can't wait for them to come home..... so I don't have to stay up so late to watch!
Here's to a "Red Wing" hangover tomorrow. You'd a thought the Sens won the cup tonight. Looks like no Heatley, left the ice with an ugly looking shoulder, did not return.
Thankfully Hockey Night did the game so I only have to sit through Lucifer and Beezlebub for 1 game in a row,
Oh, man would I love to hear those guys squeal tomorrow night.
C'mon St. Christopher, THE TIME IS RIPE FOR THE ISLES TO WIN A GAME IN OTTAWA.
Is this thing working again?
Finally ... I couldn't get any posts through earlier no matter what I tried. I thought it might be because people were commenting about K.O.'s game .... doesn't look like many where here.
Yeah AZS ... I had the game linked through while I was working ... K.O.'s name was mentioned a lot ... seemed like he was strong on the puck ... as evidenced by his 3 point night. I can't wait to see it on ITV on Monday ..
ST's didn't even have Tamby there .... like I said in another thread .... that K.O, F.N., JT line is going to be lethal ... I'm sure knowing Nolan that Tamby will be back after Miro is back...
Sean Bentivoglio is going to benefit from K.O. even after he is put back on Walter's line ... because it will open things up for that 2nd line.
I hope the young guns start piling it on .. and get the call up.
The Isles looked like a beat up team that managed .500 hockey out west ... and that really is an accomplishment. I don't have to tell anyone how HUGE a win tomorrow night in ... as 505 put it ... Satan's Den .... will be.
As someone put it in a previous thread .... a win in Ottawa will make us delirously delusional about the Isles cup chances ... at least for a day. LOLOL!!!
Reality ... we salvaged 4 points out west because of DP .... really ... even though he gave up 4 goals twice ... he was just target practice for 4 solid games .... and stole us 4 points ... we truely have a ways to go ... but I'm impressed with the trip so far. Any point tomorrow is great as far as I'm concerned.
Ultimately ... I have a feeling the Isles are going to get hurt by the 1 point games in our conference. We'll see.
Night All
Oh ... 505 .... that Redwing hangover is classic ... I was actually rooting for the Sens over the Wings (disclaimer: Wings are my second fave team) .... this way they would have that aforementioned hangover.
Time to put St. Christopher on the Isles dashboard of tomorrow's game.
Also, need a nice green Isles practice jersey for some Irish good luck while we are at it. LOL!!
Was at the Bridge and was hoping Tamby's call up was the reason he was not dressed.
As for Kyle Okposo, one game does not a career make--but he was a well-deserved Number One Star of tonight's game--showing most of the package. Good skating, strong in the corners, some razzle dazzle, vision, and never appearing out of a position. KO might have even scored on the game's first shift, but Nielsen slid a pass into the D-Man on a 3 on 1 break. Of course, KO also got his first taste of what it means to being an Islander, i.e., playing in half-empty arenas--although the crowd was loud and enthusiastic.
Actually, the whole Bridgeport team looked as good as I've ever seen them--working and skating hard all night. However, they still utilized two forwards on the point on a 5-3 PP, which just leaves me empty when thinking about D talent in the system.
The highlight of the night, however, belonged to Kip Brennan, who scored an early KO on a Springfield player with an overhand right that sent the player flat on the ice with a blood flowing from the left side of his head.
"... I was actually rooting for the Sens over the Wings"
So was I
Nice re-cap Merrick.
Remember in pre-season how much I was pleading for Kip Brenan to make the team? He is one of the best fighters I have ever seen. I guess he has no skill what so ever or something, b/c I would LOVE for him to replace Simons spot!
Okposo is such a breath of fresh air. When is the last time we have had the chance to get excited of a prospect that was not a goalie?
I am surprised Bridgeport was not more filled in the seats. The Lowell games up here do very well. Better than the Bruins I think. With the current economic conditions, I would not be surprised to see a tend toward the cheaper seats at AHL level.
Pats won, so my New Years prayers of them all twisting an ankle and forgetting to play wiht cups on was never heard. So much for me having higher powers! :)
Question??? Why did the Isles ever give up Godard? Was he released or traded?
TRIVIA: What or should I say who's name was screamed from on end of the ice and then replied by his aka at the other end of the ice after the national anthem in the Isles cup years????????????????
Godard had some health issues toward the end of his time here. He wasn't the same. As for Okposo, I'm happy he's showing sparks of brilliance, but I hope he doesn't burn out quickly. I've seen what this club can do when there's a new puppy in the house and he gets all the attention. The kid needs to be nurtured into maturity. Yes, let's pray for a win tonight, hopefully the hockey gods will hear us.
7th Woman
The Hockey Gods are all Canadian.
We need higher powers.
505 ... One thing for certain ... the Hockey Gods aren't from Toronto ... because no matter how much the "War Room" warlords from Toronto try ... they still can't get a cup in T-Town
Heatley got a seperated shoulder last night he is out 4-6 weeks. Injuries seem to be hitting everyone
Ok, I've seen some good hockey fights before ...for example the beating Cairns gave Corson during the playoffs was a fond memory - BUT - the beating that Kip Brennan gave last night was unreal!
Merrick's assessment of that fight was right on. I was listening to it last night on the Sountiger's web-site and couldn't wait to see it on ITV today after reading Merrick's thoughts on it ...now having seen it ...WOW ...you should all check out ITV - not only to see Okposo's great home debut - but this beat down actually hurt me alittle just watching it ...Brennan's hand looks to be hurt and this poor SOB who was beaten is probably not feeling so great right now!
With WITT out we are screwed. When the heck is Martinek coming back? I thought he made the trip with them and was supposed to return?
AZS...How do I get ITV ??? Where?
EVERYONE: No one knows the answer to my trivia?
above was me
While looking for the ownership history of the Isles on Wiki ... I noticed this little tidbit ... I think we know the truth of this wisdom ... very well ... we've experienced both sides.
~ "While the Islanders secured veteran forward Ed Westfall from the Boston Bruins in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, junior league star Billy Harris in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, and a few other respectable players, several other draftees jumped to the WHA. Unlike most other expansion teams' general managers, Islanders' GM Bill Torrey didn't make many trades for veteran players in the early years. Rather than pursue a "win now" strategy of getting a few veterans to boost attendance (a tactic which proved disastrous for many teams in the long run), Torrey was committed to building through the draft." ~
Steady,
Go to the Islander web site. On the top right hand side of the page you'll see some icon for ITV. If you click on it another window will open and you can select different things to click and watch. Just click on the last Sountiger's game and sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Steady,
I was in AK during the glory years, pre-cable, pre-satellite, pre Espn, Pre -cambrian
My best guess is "Less Filling".
After the anthem of every playoff game A huge bearded guy behine the Isles goal would scream: JETHROOOOOOOOOO (which was Gillies nickname) and then his buddy from accross the ice would scream: GILLIESSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Thanks AZS...Gonna go check itout.
505: LOL
***Remember how huge we all thoguht Gillies was back in the day.....HE was only 6'2" and weighed 220.....That is below avg now! Scary!!! ********
The beating Brennan (gotta luv the Irish kids) gave that guy may pale in comparison to what happened to his hand. I wager that he broke a bone or two and won't be fighting anytime soon.
He had the classic "Oh my hand" clench leaving the ice.
Off topic:
read this... I stumbled upon it and made me chuckle
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=177281&hubname=
steady,
jethro!!!!!!!!!!
S@#T, i knew that one!
I was at a holiday party down at the beach from yesterday afternoon until now staying at the hilton (kickass btw)
just got home and read the posts, i also see that you already answered,
we used to have seats in the 300's in one of the corners that the isles shot at twice a game, on the same side as their runway but opposite end of the rink.
my dad also had shared tix with business partners,
anyway, we heard that big bearded dude scream jethro EVERY freekin game from across the rink!
my bro and i always knew it was comming, whenever the anthem got to the "oh say does that star spangeled bann-JETHHHHHHHRO-er yet wave"
classic!
like i said the other day, some of the boys are falling like flies right now,
we need everyone else to step up and if we ever needed to dig deep and play some flawless, team-working hockey, now's the time,
i hope tamby starts scoring some goals,
now's not the time for dp to have an off night!
nice to hear okposo had a kickass game!
gonna go watch some itv,
you all convinced me!
the mass,
it's interesting b/c in that article it seems the western gm's had more concern about that length of contract.
now, as you know and probably why you posted this to begin with:
two other eastern gm's have signed players long term,
philli, richards, 12 years and wash, ovechkin,13 years.
of course NOW dp's contract is looking much better every month that goes by ASn LONG AS HE STAYS HEALTHY ENOUGH TO PLAY FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS AT THE LEVEL HE'S PLAYING AT NOW:):):)
it's also important to realize though, that it will be difficult for teams to sign enough franchise players long term like this,
free agency, greed, lack of loyalty etc.....will make it difficult to say the least,
that's what made the earlier dynasty's so special!
"ASn LONG AS HE STAYS HEALTHY ENOUGH TO PLAY FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS AT THE LEVEL HE'S PLAYING AT NOW:):):)"
I don't care how many years he plays as long as he wins ONE CUP!!! (to start)
fair enough 505,
sounds god to me:)
dare i say, as good a period as we could've hoped for in ottowa,
now lets have another, and then another just like it!!!!!
a nice down low and dirty goal,
we need more like that!